Seattle offers free rent to fill empty storefronts, weighs race and sex in selecting businesses

The city’s Seattle Restored program offers selected businesses temporary rent-free space, a $2,500 stipend, general liability insurance, and internet service. Its application scoring criteria explicitly ask: “Equity: Is the business Woman and/or Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color (BIPOC) owned, and/or does the project serve women/BIPOC communities?”

Applicants are also evaluated on community impact, readiness, and experience. A community advisory panel and program staff score applications, with higher-scoring applicants advancing to interviews.

The recruitment effort is prioritizing Belltown, Pioneer Square, the Chinatown-International District and the downtown retail core—areas where Seattle is trying to restore commercial activity following years of prominent departures.

Nike, The North Face, Saks OFF 5TH, Vans, Lululemon and Hard Rock Cafe have closed downtown locations. Ross Dress for Less also announced its downtown closure earlier this year. Whole Foods shuttered its Capitol Hill store, while Amazon closed its Amazon Fresh grocery store on Pike Street.

The losses extend across Seattle’s neighborhoods. Target also made the decision to close its Ballard and University District stores in October 2023, citing theft, organized retail crime, and safety concerns.

In August 2024, The Post Millennial reported that Evergreen Goodwill was closing its South Lake Union and University District stores. In a statement obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, the nonprofit cited property damage, break-ins, safety concerns and rising expenses.

Starbucks has also closed prominent Seattle locations, including near tourist spots like Pike Place Market, its Capitol Hill Reserve Roastery and, in August, one of its few remaining downtown stores.

Seattle’s restaurant industry has suffered its own losses. In September, Tutta Bella announced it would close its original Columbia City restaurant and downtown location, including Lobby Bar, on October 2.

Other closures documented in that report included Skillet locations, The Whale Wins, Blue Star Cafe and Pub, Columbia City Ale House, Eden Hill, and Pike Brewing’s longtime Pike Pub and Pike Fish Bar. Tutta Bella did not identify a specific reason for its closures; other operators cited pressures including reduced demand and higher operating costs.

The city has also lost office activity as employers shift operations elsewhere. Warner Bros. Discovery moved its local operation to a smaller Bellevue office, while Amazon has moved teams to Bellevue and Redmond. Starbucks has shifted selected teams to Nashville, and Amazon has moved most of its operations to nearby Bellevue.

Free rent is also not Seattle’s first financial intervention. The city has offered grants to reimburse merchants for broken windows and other storefront damage, including when thieves drive a stolen vehicle into a business.

One owner said boarding up the entrance alone cost between $4,000 and $5,000, with replacement glass costing more. A city spokesperson suggested applying for a repair grant, which at the time covered up to $2,000.

Seattle’s Storefront Repair Fund now offers reimbursements of up to $5,000 per incident for as many as three separate incidents per calendar year. Eligible repairs include broken windows, doors, locks, gates, fences, and signs. Stolen merchandise is not covered.

The city has also funded artwork in vacant commercial spaces. Seattle Restored launched in December 2021, offering participating artists and entrepreneurs $2,500 each and temporary storefront space at no cost. The initial effort targeted 25 storefronts using federal American Rescue Plan funding. In July 2022, the city announced an expansion targeting another 45 spaces.

Meanwhile, an October 26 survey from the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Seattle Association found that 47 percent of respondents, 92 of the 197 answering the question, had seriously considered moving operations, jobs or investment out of Seattle during the previous 12 months.

Public safety, taxes, and fees were respondents’ most frequently identified challenges, at 64 percent each. Homelessness and behavioral health conditions followed at 61 percent.

Respondents rated Seattle’s business climate 39 out of 100, and City Hall’s responsiveness to business needs 26 out of 100. Among businesses that had considered moving operations, jobs or investment outside Seattle, 59 percent cited safety concerns and an equal share cited taxes or fees. The survey received responses from 247 businesses and organizations, with participation varying by question.

Seattle Restored has barely produced results. KOMO News reported that only 33 of its 100 retail pop-ups have transitioned into long-term leases since the program’s pandemic-era launch.